Vientiane - Vũng Áng Railway
The Vientiane - Vũng Áng Railway is a 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge that runs for 555 kilometres (345 mi) between the capital of Laos, Vientiane and Vũng Áng port in Hà Tĩnh Province via Mụ Giạ Pass on the border between Laos and Vietnam, that will be connected to North–South railway at Tân Ấp railway station.
| Vientiane - Vũng Áng Railway | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Status | Under construction |
| Locale | Laos Vietnam |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 555[1] km (345 mi) |
| Number of tracks | 1 |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
| Operating speed | 150 km/h |
History
Vientiane - Vũng Áng Railway would not only connect the capital Vientiane with a Vũng Áng port, but also connect China–Laos Railway to this port. In 2015, a feasibility study was started, with $ 3 million from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). It concluded that the railroad was a viable project and that the project was worth pursuing.[2] The planned route is 554.72 km long, of which 102.7 km will be on Vietnamese territory.[3] The study recommends the construction of the track for a top speed of 150 km/h. It is expected to cost of 5.062 billion US dollars, of which the cost of the Vietnamese part should amount to 1.5 billion US dollars, which would be borne by the state budget of Vietnam. South Korea proposes a public-private partnership (PPP) for the implementation of the project.
Even before the feasibility study was completed, in April 2017, the governments of Laos and Vietnam signed a letter of intent to build the railroad. The act took place during the visit of the Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc to Laos.[4] The financing of the railway line is not yet clear. It is part of a 2030 framework agreement between the two states, which includes the construction of the Vientiane-Hanoi Expressway. This highway is supposed to connect the capitals of both countries. [5]
The Laos-Vietnam Railways is part of a project of the Government of Laos that plans to build six new railroads to provide landlocked countries with better access to world trade. In particular, better links will be established with the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The routes are:
- Nong Khai-Thanaleng Railway (in operation since 2009)
- Vientiane–Boten Railway (under construction)
- Savannakhet–Lao Bao railway (under construction), which is to provide access to the Vietnamese port Đông Hà
- Thakhek-Savannakhet-Pakse-Vang Tao railway line connecting Thakhek with the Thai border
- Pakse-Veun Kham railway, which is to connect to the border with Cambodia.
References
- Lần theo tuyến cáp treo và đường sắt sang Lào
- Feasibility Study Says Laos-Vietnam Railway Doable
- Railway from Lao capital to Vietnamese seaport to cost over 5 bln USD
- Laos: Plans gather steam for railway linking Vientiane to Vietnamese seaport
- Vientiane-Vung Ang Railway To Cost More Than US$5 billion
See also
- Rail transport in Laos
- Rail transport in Vietnam